It’s okay not to be okay – guest blog about running to beat the blues

Laura joined our intermediate running group last year. She challenged herself to go RED (Run Every Day) in January to beat the blues. Here’s Laura’s story about how she started running to help her mental health.

“The last year has been possibly the most difficult time I’ve been through.
A year of ups, downs and celebrations, I was put through a lot.
I completed my first 10k after losing two stone and wanting to earmark the occasion with something completely crazy. This is where my love for running started.
It wasn’t just about losing weight, but how happy and free it made me feel.
I had been running more with the Earlsdon Running Club, and they made me feel at home with running. They’re so supportive and they made me feel like I was actually good at it!
I was diagnosed with anxiety and severe depression last year, so when I heard about RED (Run Every Day)January https://www.mind.org.uk/redjanuary , I wanted to put my running skills to the test.

So, I joined the club to not just keep my body fit(ish) and healthy, but my mind too. It was time to do something for myself, and raise awareness and money for Mind. https://www.mind.org.uk/
I knew I could run, there was no doubt about that, but some days I really didn’t want to. Mainly because my mind was in such a negative place, I just didn’t want to.

So I wanted RED January to teach me it’s okay to not be okay, and I can be fixed by mother nature out there. I wanted to feel free, to feel good again, and to know I can do this. Not just running, but anything.
I didn’t push myself too hard – that was important. If I put too much pressure on myself to run really far each day, it just wouldn’t work. So, I just ran. I went for it. And it felt amazing.
Some days were easy and I flipping loved it! In fact, that was most days. There were the challenges – trail running being one of them! But, of course, there were days I just couldn’t bring myself to face the world. On most of those occasions, I got out there – after a while, but I got out there – but two of those days, I couldn’t do it. I didn’t feel the wind in my hair or the rain against my face. I just felt like a failure.

The following day I got back out there though. And I did it. Unlike last year before I started running when I would have moped about for another 24-48 hours, I got off my backside and I ran. I felt the air against me, behind me, and I ran with it. It was amazing, and it was a new side to me. I managed to pull myself up for the next day of RED. And succeed.

I feel amazing. My body doesn’t hurt, but my mind is healthy. My mind is happy. And I’m missing RED already! And, I’ve managed to knock nearly five minutes of a 6km! GO ME!
I’ve never felt pride like it. Thank you to everyone at ERC for giving me confidence, strength and support to help me run as far as I do. Thank you to everyone to donated and helped me raise more than £300. And thank you to you guys reading this. Just by reading this post, you’re raising awareness for Mind.” https://www.mind.org.uk/

Laura has done brilliantly, we are so proud seeing her running journey and we are privileged to be a part of it!
If you have any questions about running, run streaks or the Earlsdon Running Club in general, please get in touch!